Recess Certainly Matters

The good news today for school administrators and teachers is that there will be no need to worry about having to deal with an “indoor recess.”

The bottom line is that when kids can get outside and play, they learn more.

OK, that might be simplifying it a bit, but during a winter in which Old Man Winter has been a bit bi-polar, area schools have had to get creative when it comes to recesses for elementary school students.

The lack of snow has been made up by the amount of cold we’ve endured, which means there’s been more than a few days when kids have stayed inside for recess.

“I think you can ask anyone of our teachers if they’d rather send the students outside or have them inside for recess and you’ll get the same answer,” New Hampton Elementary School Principal Brenda Lansing. “Research tells us that kids need that chance to expend energy. It helps them focus when they get back into the classroom.”

Area schools have certain criteria when it comes to outdoor recesses; basically, school officials look at wind-chill temperatures and if they’re too cold, the decision is made for them.

“Having an indoor recess every now and then isn’t necessarily a bad thing,” Lansing said, “but when you have several days in a row, let’s just say the kids get a little antsy and fidgety. … And unfortunately, we’ve had a couple stretches here this winter where the indoor recesses have piled up.”

That won’t be the case today [Friday], when temperatures may reach into the 50s, although that can create another battle.

“Kids are kids,” Lansing said with a laugh, “and when it warms up, they don’t want to put coats on. ‘But it’s hot’ they’ll say, and trust me, we’d rather deal with that than having to stay inside.”